Kolkata hotel fire claims 14 lives: 7 things we know so far

At least 14 people were confirmed dead after a massive fire broke out at Rituraj Hotel near Falpatti Machhua in central Kolkata on the evening of April 29. The fire, suspected to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit, erupted around 8:15 PM, quickly engulfing the premises of the hotel located in one of the most congested commercial zones of the city.

– The incident unfolded in the heart of Kolkata’s wholesale trading district, where narrow lanes and dense construction severely hampered rescue operations. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic, with several guests attempting to escape through windows and narrow ledges to evade the smoke and flames.

– According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Indira Mukherjee, Rituraj Hotel had 88 people in 42 rooms when the fire broke out. Around 60 staff members were present. Two of the deceased were children. Eight bodies have been identified so far.

– Thirteen injured persons were sent to hospital. Twelve have been discharged. One person remains under observation.

– Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, who was present at the site, confirmed that 14 bodies had been recovered so far and multiple people were rescued with injuries. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control after several hours of intense firefighting.

– Mayor Firhad Hakim and senior police officials monitored operations through the night. The extent of damage to the building and the exact number of occupants are still being assessed.

– Preliminary reports indicate that the fire may have originated from an electrical fault. Officials, however, have not ruled out the possibility of further lapses in fire safety norms. The building’s location—within a packed wholesale market—meant that emergency vehicles struggled to navigate through crowded lanes and reach the site swiftly.

“This is a deeply unfortunate incident. Many of these older buildings have no proper fire exits or safety mechanisms in place,” said a fire services official.

– Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, reacting swiftly to the disaster, called for immediate rescue and relief operations. “I urge the state administration to ensure medical support for the injured and demand a full review of fire safety norms across the city,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Meanwhile, West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar blamed civic negligence for the tragedy. “There was no safety or security. What is the Kolkata Corporation doing? People are still stuck in the building,” he said, criticising the apparent lack of enforcement of fire safety regulations.

Kolkata has seen multiple fire incidents in the past, including the Stephen Court fire in March 2010 and the AMRI Hospital blaze in December 2011 both resulted in significant loss of life.